Notes: The
Egyptian Infantry Fighting Vehicle (EIFV; also known by its BAE developmental
name, Infantry Fighting Vehicle - Light, or IFV-L) is a virtually unique vehicle
designed by BAE for the Egyptian Army to solve a specific problem; so far, BAE
Systems has not attempted to shop the design around elsewhere.The Egyptian Army’s use of the M-113 series and other M-113-based
vehicles has been growing since peace between Israel and Egypt became a reality
in the late 1970s, and the Egyptians began turning away from their former Soviet
masters and towards the West for military hardware and trade in other areas.One of the problems posed by this new Western alliance was the Egyptian’s
procurement and eventually production of the M-1A1 Abrams tank, a fast,
maneuverable vehicle even in the sands of the Egyptian deserts.

The primary IFVs
and APCs the Egyptians had at the time, the BMP-1, BMP-2, Fahd, and M-113, could
not keep up with an M-1A1 unit with a full head of steam.The BMP-2s had armament comparable to modern IFVs, but the rest,
including the BMP-1s, were outclassed on the modern battlefield.Unfortunately, the Egyptians’ recent military acquisitions, especially
the M-1A1 (which they went into in a big way), meant that they didn’t have the
funds for something like a Bradley or Warrior, the cheap Russian hardware that
would become available in the future wasn’t there yet, and the Egyptians didn’t
want to jeopardize their new relationship with the US by going to the Chinese.So they contacted BAE systems and asked them how they could modify their
M-113A2s to fit the bill.BAE
responded with a hybrid vehicle – a lengthened M-113A2 with the turret of an
M-2A2 Bradley.In real-world cost,
the new vehicle would cost about a fifth the price of an M-2A2 Bradley, but
provide a significant increase in firepower and mobility.In addition, it could be built in Egypt by the ETF (Egyptian Tank
Factory), at the same facilities that were being built to produce the M-1A1.This was just the thing the Egyptians were looking for.By 2010, they have built or modified some 1200 EIFVs; production had
begun in 1997, and development had started in late 1994.

The Original Specs

The original
specifications of the EIFV called for the lengthening of the M-113A2 to six
roadwheels on each side and moving the fuel tanks to the rear of the vehicle in
the same manner as on the M-113A3, making the EIFV’s hull over a meter longer
than the M-113A2, and even a half a meter longer than an M-113A3.Much of the hull layout is retained, with the driver to the front left
and a large hatch on the rear deck opening to the rear for the passengers to
stand.(The driver’s hatch is a bit
different – it rotates open slightly up and laterally opens to the right instead
of opening upwards.) Though the Egyptians don’t make use of it, amphibious
capability could be easily retrofitted by simply re-mounting the trim vane and
enabling the bilge pumps (which are still present, but deactivated, in the
EIFV).The hull shape is
unmistakably an M-113-series vehicle, and the roadwheels, drive sprockets, and
idler wheels are identical to those of an M-113A2. The suspension is beefed up,
but is still based on torsion bars with hydraulic shock absorbers at the front
and rear roadwheels.The side and
frontal armor is improved with appliqué armor, including armored side skirts,
but the rear ramp with a door in it are still present.

On the other
hand, the engine, drive train, transmission, and driver’s station were
greatly-modified, with the engine being replaced with a 350-horsepower
turbocharged diesel, the transmission fully automatic, and the driver’s station
having a steering yoke instead of the M-113A2’s steering laterals, as well as a
conventional brake and gas pedal.
The fuel tanks were also greatly enlarged.

Of course, the
biggest change was the addition of the Bradley turret.This provided a great increase in firepower, and also allowed part of the
EIFV force to be used as scout vehicles if desired.This turret gave the EIFV a 25mm M-242 ChainGun, a coaxial machinegun,
and twin TOW launchers.It also
gave the Egyptians a vehicle that could match the Abrams in the day/night vision
department. (The commander does not have his own thermal imager, but can see
through the gunner’s thermal imager.) At the front sides of the turret are a
cluster of four smoke grenade launchers on each side.

The Egyptians
were happy with this original version of the EIFV – but not totally.The engine had to work hard to keep up with the M-1A1 as it was, and the
Egyptians were considering a further appliqué armor package that could be added
to increase protection for the EIFV.The resulting weight of the package they envisioned would definitely have
the EIFV straining to keep up, not to mention the added wear and tear operating
the powerpack and drive train at high strain for long periods would seriously
increase the maintenance factor.
They told BAE what improvements they wanted, and out of this came the production
version of the EIFV.

The Production EIFV

The first thing
BAE did was to address the power problem, replacing the engine with a compatible
400-horsepower 6V53TIA turbocharged diesel.The suspension also had to be further strengthened, as did the shock
absorbers.This fix was almost
magical, as it addressed pretty much every deficiency the Egyptians had
identified.The standard armor
package remained the same, but AOI (Arab Organization for Industrialization)
devised an appliqué armor package that greatly increases armor protection to the
sides and also improves frontal armor protection.Lugs for ERA have been added to progressively more EIFVs (and other
Egyptian armored vehicles). An air conditioner was fitted, as well as a
collective NBC system.

AOI (the parent
agency of the ETF) has identified some possible future modifications for EIFV,
including an NBC overpressure system, firing ports in the sides and rear of the
vehicle, and a hunter/killer-type observation system.The firing ports would be fitted either two (more probable) or three per
side, with one in the rear door.
Another possibility is revised passenger seating, with the seats going down the
center of the vehicle. A further enlargement of fuel tankage is also possible,
with some fuel being housed in the walls of the crew compartment.

Twilight 2000 Notes: Though
most EIFVs in the Twilight 2000 timeline were of the Production type mentioned
above, a few later examples were of the Original specifications.Extra appliqué armor is relatively rare.